Aerosmith's "Rocks" was one of the soundtracks to my life and synonymous with how I lived when I grew up: a timeless feeling of uncompromising fury. When I first obtained Aerosmith autographs, the original lineup had disbanded, and I met Steven Tyler, Joey Kramer, and Tom Hamilton. Joe Perry and Whitford were a separate endeavor. 

Shortly after I started collecting, Aerosmith reformed and by 1984/1985, I was meeting them as a full band. They were generally always approachable and receptive to fans. I had amassed a huge Aerosmith memorabilia collection as I listened to their music endlessly and constantly sought out rarities for my collection: albums, 45s, and tour programs.

Steven was the first member I met in the early days when they were down to playing small venues, and one time he brought me backstage at the Ritz and I was able to talk with him directly. At some point afterwards, I became recognizable and we would often strike up conversations over the years. Tyler is a truly unique individual full of life and never anything less than engaging.

Both Steve and Joe in the early days were still living volatile lifestyles, so you never really knew what you would see. Joe was not entirely approachable in the early days, but by the time the band reunited, he became more accessible. And when their late 80s success took off, all the members of Aerosmith were generally all very approachable and accommodating to autograph requests from their fans.